Illinois reports 2,035 new COVID-19 cases, additional 24 deaths

State health officials on Sunday reported 2,035 new coronavirus cases and an additional 24 virus-related deaths.

That brings the state’s pandemic totals to 1,321,033 cases and 21,826 deaths.

The Chicago area accounted for 16 of Sunday’s fatalities, which included a Cook County woman in her 20s.

The new cases were diagnosed among the 61,299 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health in the last day. That kept the statewide seven-day positivity rate at 3.5%, the lowest its been since the beginning of this month.

That metric, which experts watch closely to determine how rapidly the virus is spreading, had been on the rise since late March before peaking April 12 at 4.4%. It’s been on a gradual decline since.

Starting Monday, all six COVID-19 mass vaccination sites in suburban Cook County will start accepting walk-in appointments.

While scheduling appointments in advance are still encouraged, walk-ins will be welcomed at the county’s mass vaccination sites Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More than 8.8 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have now gone into the arms of Illinoisans since mid-December, including an additional 74,461 doses doled out Saturday, officials said.

As of Saturday night, 3,769,787 people in Illinois were fully vaccinated, meaning two weeks removed from their final dose, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website. That’s about 29.6% of the state’s populations — still well under 80% needed for herd immunity.

For help finding an appointment in Chicago, visit zocdoc.com or call (312) 746-4835.

For suburban Cook County sites, visit vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or call (833) 308-1988.

To find providers elsewhere, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov or call (833) 621-1284.